Missionary Care & Connection

These funds are for the caring of our global and district assigned missionaries. We buy Christmas, anniversary and birthday gifts. Please feel free to send notes and cards to our missionaries.

Click on the buttons below to know more about each family.

Brandino and Carol Bestre - Global Missionaries Until Dec 31, 2023

Called to Serve in Papua New Guinea

Brandino and Carolyne Bestre are from Baguio City, Philippines, and are missionaries to Papua New Guinea, where Brandino will be assisting the Field Strategy Coordinator for the Melanesia South Pacific Field and Carol will serve as the Education Ministry Coordinator.

They both earned their master’s degree at the Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1989 and pastored Nazarene churches in the Metro Manila District from 1988 to 1999.  Moving back to their home place in Baguio City, they helped Pines City Nazarene Christian Fellowship in its inception years and have maintained their membership in this fellowship.

Brandino completed his Doctor of Ministry at the Asia-United Theological University (former Asian Center for Theological Studies and Missions) in South Korea in 2002, while Carol did her Ph.D. in Christian Education at the Hoseo University in South Korea in 2006.  Apart from those trainings, Brandino and Carol are licensed Civil Engineer and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine respectively.

The Bestres served as education administrators and faculty members of theological colleges and seminaries with government recognized programs through the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines from 2000 to 2021.

The couple is blessed with three sons:  Nathaniel Brian, Jonathan Carlo, and Gabriel Nichol.

Email: bbestre@apnaz.org
Online Missionary Profile: https://missionary.nazarene.org/u/Brandino-&-Carolyne-Bestre-

Anthony and Barbara Manswell - District Missionaries

Called to Trinidad and Tobago

Anthony graduated with a Bachelor of Theology from Canadian Nazarene College in 1990.  He received a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1994. While at NTS, he was in the Honors Program with a concentration in Doctrinal Theology. He graduated with his Doctorate in Education from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2008.  Anthony’s call is to minister anywhere in the world where God opens the door and desires him to do ministry.  This has always been his deep conviction since he fully committed his life to God.  He has held several positions at CNC over the years, and is currently enjoying teaching full-time.

Barbara attended Canadian Nazarene College – University of Manitoba, and graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Music. She then attended Nazarene Theological Seminary and obtained an M.A. in Missiology in 1995.   She participated in four Youth In Mission Projects and God touched her heart in a specific way.  During college God placed a call on her heart for cross-cultural full-time ministry.  She believes that God has worked in amazing ways over years to prepare them for this part of God’s adventure.   As only God could have arranged, she is now the Music Program Director, teaching the core music courses and private music lessons at CNC for the Music Concentration/Bachelor of Arts program.

Barbara and Anthony are passionate about developing healthy marriages and host Manswell’s Marriage Ministry.  They also engage in pre-marital and post-marital counseling on a regular basis.

The Manswells have four children:  Kenrick (1997), Kavanah (1999), Jayedon (2001), and Jerrick (2003).  Anthony and Barbara had the privilege of Home Educating their children and they are all currently pursuing post-secondary education.  Kenrick is pursuing a medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Kavanah is completing her Music Education degree this year at Trevecca Nazarene University.  Jayedon is working on a Business degree while on a soccer scholarship at MidAmerica Nazarene University.  This past August (2021) Jerrick began his adventure in education at Olivet Nazarene University. The family’s home church is the Rimbey Church of the Nazarene in Rimbey, Alberta, Canada.

Email: abmanswell2@gmail.com
Online Missionary Profile: https://missionary.nazarene.org/u/Anthony-and-Barbara-
Manswell

Letter from Brandino and Carol Bestre

Greetings from PNG
Thank you for warmly welcoming us as your LINKs missionaries in Canada West District; we feel humbled and privileged to be one of your prayer focuses.

My wife, Carol, and I arrived here last April 28 to serve in the Melanesia South Pacific Field as Education Coordinator and Work Witness Coordinator as well as Assistant to or Field Education Coordinator, respectively. We are just beginning to at least understand our roles so we are in the field office getting accustomed to the tasks.

Carol was able to have started working with our different institutions in our field including our South Pacific Nazarene Theological Colleges in the South Pacific Island countries (Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga) and our colleges here in Papua New Guinea(Melanesia Nazarene Bible College, Melanesia Nazarene Teacher’s College, Nazarene College of Nursing) as well as our Basic Education Schools here in PNG. Carol will be representing Melanesia South Pacific Field in the Regional nazarene Education Workshop in Bali, Indonesia in September this year. Please include her travel in your prayers.

I have started working on drafting proposals for a few projects in our pioneering and developing districts. The Madang District Training Centre is one of them. These proposals were submitted to our Regional Office for approval. I will be traveling to these areas as the situations here get better, as these days due to the election, it is not safe to travel. My ocular visits to these sites will be a great help as I work on the building plans for each of these projects. Please do pray for us as we goal to live for Christ and show His love through our roles in this part of the world, and as we continuously and gradually, by His grace, adjust to the new environment.

Our Children are all left in the Philippines. Our eldest son lives and works with his wife in Manila while the two younger boys are in our hometown in Baguio City. Please join us in praying for them, that in our separation, they may fully find in their hearts to understand the call of God in this era of our lives; that they will continually seek and obey God’s leading in their own lives, and that they too will serve Christ in what they are currently doing. Our second child, Jonathan Carlo turns 27 this August 24.

We will be updating you more as we move forward in the months ahead.

Again, gracias for your prayers and concern for our well-being.

More Prayer Requests

As you continue to remember us in your prayers, please include the following requests:
Melanesia South pacific Field Strategy Coordinator and his family, though on Home Assignment, work doesn’t stop. Please pray for his health, deputation commitments, and travels to the other countries of Melanesia South Pacific performing his tasks as FSC.

The national leaders, district leadership, church pastors, and pioneering districts as they function their roles, and prepare reports for the District Assemblies.

Pioneering districts’ leaders and pastors to remain steadfast to their call unfazed by difficult situations.

Our tertiary institution administrators in the field as they prepare for the review of the International Board of Education (IBOE).

Papua New Guinea on their national election this month. The election is by province, so the election period until the counting of votes will be until August. At times like these, peace and order are compromised. Foreigners and even locals are advised to be extra vigilant.

As we move forward, learning about our tasks (and missing family and the Philippines), may God’s daily grace and peace be with us.

Thank you for partnering with us on this journey. God bless!